Gilbert Martines, a registered sex offender charged with sexual assault and promoting child abuse, had his bail revoked yesterday because of his potential danger to the community. Sex offender's bail revoked
The state filed a motion to hold Martines at Oahu Community Correctional Center without bail, which Judge Victoria Marks granted. Martines was convicted in 1982 of second-degree sodomy and first-degree sex abuse. All his victims were underage boys.
"The community should be happy he is off the streets," said Jim Fulton, spokesman for the city prosecutor.
His trial date is set for June 28.
> State officials report they are on target and making progress to fix computer problems involved with the year 2000.Team on top of
state's Y2K problemsThe Y2K computer glitch, which could halt thousands of important government services controlled by computers, is being repaired by a team in the Department of Accounting and General Services.
Ray Sato, state comptroller, says 66 percent of the state's 887 computer systems have been checked and the problems fixed.
Major programs that already have been repaired include welfare, child-support payments, financial accounting and management, employee health fund, Human Resource Management and general excise tax revenue.
Sato said he expects 79 percent of the systems to be ready by June 30 and all of the systems to be ready to go by Sept. 30.
"In the past year, the executive branch has made good progress in its year 2000 efforts," Sato said.
He cautions that the actual success of each program can't be measured yet.
"Accordingly, the executive branch cannot provide assurances that all issues associated with the Y2K problem will be identified and cured," he said.
The driving age would rise to 16 and anyone under 18 would have to take a driver education course before they could get a license under a bill agreed to yesterday by a House-Senate conference committee. Driving-age bill advances
By Ben DiPietro, Associated PressThe bill, however, could face a veto from Gov. Ben Cayetano.
Department of Transportation spokeswoman Marilyn Kali told lawmakers earlier this month that Cayetano said he would veto the bill if the education requirement applies only to drivers 18 and under.
"The governor felt very strongly that if you have an education component, it should apply to all drivers and not just teen-agers," Kali said.
Deleted from the bill was an earlier proposal for a curfew to keep teen drivers off the road during overnight hours, but the measure extends the age before a driver can apply for a permit from 15 to 15. Presently, teens can get licenses at 15 years, three months.
Rep. Ken Hiraki (D, Kakaako) hopes teens upset with the changes will understand the move is being made to ensure their safety.
City cuts deal to sell prepaid phone cards
The city hopes to generate between $500,000 and $1 million in revenues over the next three years from the sale of prepaid phone cards through an agreement with GTE Hawaiian Tel.The city will receive 20 percent of the proceeds from the sale of cards marked "City and County of Honolulu," which depict familiar Oahu landscapes and Honolulu Zoo animals.
"We think they're going to be collectors' items," Mayor Jeremy Harris said.
Hawaiian Tel will sell both 1-800 prepaid phone cards and GTE Smart Cards on behalf of the city in denominations of $5 to $20 at specially marked vending machines around the island.
The 1-800 cards will allow people to call long-distance for an average of 33 cents a minute from touch-tone phones, including pay phones, by dialing a 1-800 number.
Soldiers from Schofield headed for Thailand
More than 1,700 soldiers from the 25th Infantry Division will be leaving Monday for Thailand to take part in the annual Cobra Gold military exercise.The soldiers are members of 1st Battalion, 21st Regiment and will be in Thailand for a month. This 18th annual Cobra Gold exercise involves land, sea and air operations.
Navy destroyer open tomorrow to the public
The guided-missile destroyer USS Russell will be open to the public from noon to 4 p.m. tomorrow at Pearl Harbor.Visitors are asked to go to the Nimitz gate and proceed to pier Bravo 25. Children must be 8 or older.
Corrections
A quote by Bishop Estate trustee Richard Wong was cut off in a print-edition story yesterday about an increase in trustee salaries and an IRS audit. The full quote was:
"To step down might be a consideration, but first tell us what we've done wrong," Wong said. "I'd like to see what I did wrong then I can make up my mind if I should step down."
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Police, Fire
By Star-Bulletin staffPolice hunt suspect in stabbing case
Police are searching for a man who stabbed a 37-year-old man several times in the back and shoulder last night.The knifing occurred in the 1500 block of Miller Street at 10:30 p.m., police said.
He was taken to Queen's Hospital. His condition is being withheld.
Mechanic is burned working on sub
A 37-year-old man was burned last night while doing maintenance work aboard the Voyager 2 submarine at Pier 41.Fire Battalion Chief Kenneth Word said the mechanic was using contact cleaner spray, which ignited.
"We don't know what the ignition source was, it could be anything from electricity to cigarettes," Word said.
Firefighters responded to the scene at 8:48 p.m.
The man was taken to Queen's Hospital. His injuries do not appear to be life threatening.
Wahiawa man charged in shooting
Police yesterday charged a Wahiawa man for firing a rifle at two men.Paul Crimmins was charged with second-degree attempted murder, second-degree assault and first-degree terroristic threatening, police said.
He is being held on $55,000 bail.
He is accused of striking a 21-year-old man with the barrel of a rifle, then shooting at him three times at a Lokoea Place home in Wahiawa on Wednesday, police said.
The man was not wounded by the gunfire.
Crimmins also allegedly fired one round at the man's 22-year-old cousin, but missed.
Marijuana seized in Big Isle sweep
HILO -- Police seized 4,150 marijuana plants from Tuesday through yesterday in the Big Island's South Hilo, Puna, and Kau districts, they announced.They also executed two search warrants, which resulting in the seizure of 1,090 additional plants, 24.6 grams of dried marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.
A pickup truck also was seized.
Two people were arrested and released pending investigation
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